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Red and White down Gaels, have won 4 of last 5

Senior guard Maggie Boyer is averaging 8.5 points per game this year. Miami has won four of its last five games.
Senior guard Maggie Boyer is averaging 8.5 points per game this year. Miami has won four of its last five games.

Brian Gallagher, For The Miami Student

Senior guard Maggie Boyer is averaging 8.5 points per game this year. Miami has won four of its last five games. (JESSI THORNE | The Miami Student)

As a kid, what was better than getting out of school early? If you answered getting out of school early and getting to watch the Miami University women's basketball team, then you are correct! Over 1,800 students from the Talawanda school district's elementary schools were lucky enough to experience this, and the RedHawks responded to the raucous crowd by blowing away the Gaels of Iona College by a score of 92-77 to improve their record to 4-2.

"[Our team] did all the extra things: outworking the other team, getting rebound put-backs, hitting free throws, all those little things, what we call easy points, really stood out," Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa said.

Iona opened up with a two point lead just seconds into the game, but Miami took control of the game soon after and responded to all of the Gaels' comeback attempts. Two consecutive three-pointers gave the Gaels their last lead of the game, 17-15, halfway through the first half.

Sophomore guard Hannah Robertson scored two of her 15 points to give the 'Hawks their biggest lead of the first half 33-28 with six minutes remaining.

Iona would not go away quietly though, clawing back to a 37-37 tie at the 3:14 mark following a 12-4 run. Led by Robertson and sophomore forward Erica Almady, each of whom had 11 points in the first half, Miami was able to regroup and took a 42-41 advantage into the locker room.

The team that came out of the tunnel at the beginning of the second half looked the same as they did at the beginning of the game, but things were different.

Miami put the hammer down early. They extended their lead to 11 to make it 54-43 after senior forward Lillian Pitts hit a layup just under four minutes into the half.

Iona would pull within nine with just over 13 minutes remaining, but the RedHawks had their foot on the gas pedal and were not slowing down. The Red and White extended their lead to 20 with just under two minutes to play before Fantanarosa cleared the bench with the victory clearly in hand.

"When you score 92 points you can't complain," Fantanarosa said. "But the nice thing was that we got it in different ways: with three-point shots, attempts in the paint, second-chance points and [with junior guard] Courtney Osborn finding open people."

Senior forward Rachael Hencke led the RedHawks with 17 points and always seemed to provide points when needed, stopping multiple Iona comebacks with her clutch shooting.

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Osborn tied her career high in assists, dropping 12 dimes that helped set up five players scoring in double figures. Junior forward Kirsten Olowinski picked up a double-double, snatching 10 rebounds to go along with 14 points.

Thanks in part to Olowinski, Miami was able to hold a 48-34 advantage on the boards, taking Coach Fantanarosa's season-long goal of controlling the glass to heart.

Although she had an exceptional individual performance, Olowinski was most proud of the way the team performed in the second half.

"The first half was close but in the second half we came out, knowing that we had to dominate and try our hardest to pull away, and we were able to do that," Olowinski said.

Friday's game showed what the RedHawks are capable of when they click on all cylinders.

"If we can stay in the game with our defense and rebounding, and take care of the ball, with everyone contributing, we're going to win a lot of games," Fantanarosa said.

Miami's next test will come on the road as they travel to the Steel City to take on the Duquesne University Dukes Tuesday.